Brake Performance

[brothapig]

I have a '96 Formula, and I was just wondering if all cars of this era have inherently weak brakes. My dad and I were out one evening running kind of hard, which I hardly ever do. I had just done a burnout, and got up to about 90mph, when I started to brake for a corner. I was hard on the brake pedal, but the car just kind of slowly stopped, not even close to locking them up, or engaging the ABS. After that of course we could really smell the brakes.
I have just replaced all the pads about 4000 miles ago.

During normal driving the brakes are adequate, it's just when I'm having a little fun that they can fade. Unfortunately, I'm not about to go out and upgrade my brakes with some aftermarket for $1000's, but I was just curious what others had to say about this. Maybe I have something wrong with my brakes, but it just seems like fading to me.

[Joe K. 99 Zeee!!]

I had the same complaint with my '96 Z28. I did a brake fluid flush and had the system inspected a couple of times and was told it was A o.k. Still, they're iffy performance scared me on one or two occasions as I had some short stop close calls.

In the end I got a '99 LS1 car, with the dual piston caliper front brakes, and now have no complaints what so ever. It's really a night and day difference.
Now I worry more about the cars behind me when I come to a stop.

A popular upgrade is to upgrade to LS1 front brakes. I believe you can find the instructions at www.installuniversity.com or maybe www.projecttransam.com. It's a fairly straght forward install.

[4THGEN Z]

A popular upgrade is to upgrade to LS1 front brakes. I believe you can find the instructions at www.installuniversity.com or maybe www.projecttransam.com. It's a fairly straght forward install.

I did the upgrade to my 95 Z28 and it was a night and day difference!! One of the best mods I have done!!

[Blazer]

I had the samething on my 94 but got slotted an dimpple plus painted roters from rich c [rotorpros@yahoo.com] An the brakes are super. I will never use stock roters any more. Super hard braking from 130mpr to 80 save my a$$ from a cop.Have had them for about a year an a half now an very happy.
Blazer